Author
Allen kills controversial sex ed bill, but vows to bring provisions back
In a fiery speech on the Arizona Senate lawn, Sen. Sylvia Allen said she would will kill her controversial sex education bill – but vowed to bring the matter back in another piece of legislation.
Sex education reform bill abruptly pulled from committee hearing
A bill that would disallow Arizona students from discussing sex education until the seventh grade was pulled from the Senate Education Commitee by the bill’s sponsor, who heads the committee.
Bill would allow for ‘Brady List’ appeals, keep list of dishonest officers secret
A bill that is being championed by the local police union would allow officers to appeal being put on a list used by prosecutors that lets them know if an officer has been caught doing something dishonest – and make the entire list secret.
The challenges facing electric vehicles in Arizona
A newly released report by Pew Trusts found that Arizona ranks among the top 20 states for its number of charging stations for electric cars, but the state is still lagging on making infrastructure for them a priority.
GOP lawmaker: allow limitless libel lawsuits on social media posts
A Phoenix Republican is pushing to include social media comments to Arizona’s libel and slander laws and scrap the statute of limitations for defamatory statements published online, something a First Amendment attorney says would have far-reaching effects.
Fillmore bills target Arizona transgender community
A top Republican on the House Education Committee is pushing a trio of bills aimed at the transgender community in Arizona, including penalizing schools for referring to a student by a pronoun that isn’t the gender associated with their biological sex.
The Arizona connections to ‘domestic terrorism’ advocate Matt Shea
A Washington state lawmaker accused of participating in acts of domestic terrorism by an independent report commissioned by his own legislature has connections to two former elected officials in Arizona.
House GOP leader’s bill would bar cities, counties from stopping private border wall construction
House Majority Leader Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, sponsored legislation that would bar cities and counties from blocking or restricting private border wall construction, fulfilling a pledge he made last year. House Bill 2084 would bar cities towns or counties from requiring a corporation or nonprofit to obtain a building permit for a wall on or adjacent […]
Navy names new nuclear sub USS Arizona
The United States Navy has named one of its two newest nuclear submarines after the battleship USS Arizona, which was destroyed in the Pearl Harbor attack. “The commissioning of a new warship named Arizona honors our past—including those who have given their lives in service to our country—and our future and recognizes Arizona’s important contributions […]
Kavanagh targets Tesla drivers who bypass safety features
Rep. John Kavanagh has proposed legislation that would allow police to ticket Tesla drivers who attempt to circumvent safety features that are part of the electric vehicles’ self-driving modes. Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican and a Tesla owner himself, sponsored House Bill 2060, which states that a person may not override the safety features of […]
Secretary of state issues cybersecurity tips to candidates
The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office recently issued a packet to candidates, political parties and political action committees of cybersecurity tips ahead of next year’s elections. In 2016, criminals attempted to hack into voter databases but were unsuccessful. The state has since enhanced its security measures and created a new voter registration database. The Fulcrum, a […]
IT security analyst: lawmakers need to listen to experts on data privacy laws
At the Mesa Convention Center Friday, information security analyst Samantha Kitts told a crowded room of CactusCon attendees the nuances and complexities of the various regulations around data privacy in the United States and abroad.